Generations Past
by Brissi
Summary: Follow the lives of the four clans as they struggle to survive in a cold, uninhabitable world. Set in the old forest, the story begins with Screepaw, a young ThunderClan apprentice eager to learn about the forest. What occurs will trigger a long chain of events that will change the forest forever, spanning countless generations until it finally comes to an end moons later.
1. Screepaw, Chapter 1

**Screepaw:**

Screepaw followed behind Heronbeak and Lynxpaw, his paws dragging in the dead foliage as he walked. He glared at the ground before him like it had personally offended him, so fiercely that he didn't notice Lynxpaw dropping back to walk alongside him.

"It's not that bad, Screepaw," the older apprentice said, sounding slightly annoyed. "It's not like you're going to be doing this every day."

Screepaw switched his glare from the forest floor to Lynxpaw's face, but it soon melted beneath his brother's warm blue eyes. He sighed; he never could stay mad at his brother. _And it's not like it's his fault_, he added in his mind.

"I know, but I could be learning something _important_ right now," he protested, trying to justify his anger. "Like fighting or hunting or tracking or-"

Lynxpaw gently slapped his tail over Screepaw's mouth, cutting off the imminent rambling.

"I know," he said gently, taking his tail away. "But you're doing something important right now. You're making sure we aren't kidnapped by bloodthirsty enemy warriors."

Screepaw glanced back over at his brother, which was a mistake. If he had kept on glaring at the ground, maybe he could have snapped back at Lynxpaw. _Maybe_ he could have kept on being mad about the injustice of it all. But he couldn't, not when Lynxpaw was gazing at him like that, the infinite patience and gentleness that made him medicine cat material shining through his eyes. Screepaw could feel his anger crumbling like earth in a river, and he finally sighed and let out the tension he'd been holding in his shoulders.

"Whatever," he muttered, but Lynxpaw could tell he'd won.

"You'll get to learn all that stuff tomorrow," he reassured Screepaw.

Screepaw wasn't so sure; he was pretty convinced that Reedsplash wanted him collecting herbs and bedding forever. But he nodded anyway. Lynxpaw smiled convincingly and bounded forward to catch up with Heronbeak. Screepaw shook his fur out and lifted his head, sniffing the wind. A funny scent tickled his nose, but he couldn't quite grasp it. Just then, low rumbling shook the earth beneath his paws, and he glanced around.

"Hey, Heronbeak..." he called, trailing off as a crash resounded from the bushes.

Suddenly, an enormous black and white shape hurtled out of the undergrowth, easily dwarfing him with its size. Frozen for a heartbeat, all Screepaw could do was stare. A badger... Dear StarClan, no. And then a panicked wail jerked him out of his daze as the badger swung towards his brother. A surge of protectiveness flooded him and in a snap he was beside his brother, easily outpacing the lumbering badger.

"Move!" he snapped, shoving his brother with his shoulder. Lynxpaw stumbled and came to life, darting towards where Heronbeak crouched. "Climb a tree!" Screepaw yowled, and then he couldn't spare any more focus on his brother and Heronbeak, because the badger bore down on him in a snarling fit of rage.

Screepaw managed to avoid the first assault and ducked under the badger's legs, clumsily scraping his claws along its stomach. The badger roared with pain and while it was distracted, Screepaw cast a quick glance over at Lynxpaw and Heronbeak. They had managed to clamber up a pine and were now crouching on one of its thicker branches, thankfully out of reach.

"Screepaw, come on," Lynxpaw yowled, but before he could move a mouselength a heavy weight crashed into his haunches and dragged him down.

A panicked yowl reached his ears and he wrenched his neck around, spotting Lynxpaw struggling to climb down and Heronbeak struggling to restrain him.

"No, Lynxpaw!" he managed to screech before enormous teeth met his back and lifted him into the air. The world spun before his eyes as the badger began to shake him like a piece of prey, and his limbs whipped uselessly through the air. Suddenly, the badger let go and Screepaw hurtled through the air, slamming into a tree. He heard a resounding crack that he felt in his bones and he slumped to the ground, white hot pain rolling down his back. He tried to scramble to his paws but his hind legs refused to work. He couldn't even feel them, so all he could do was lie there as the badger bore down on him again. This time the enormous beast bent down and sunk his teeth into his stomach, which lay exposed where he'd fallen. Screepaw screeched in agony as the badger's teeth tore through his flesh, and over its shoulder he could see Lynxpaw and Heronbeak watched with horror.

"Run," he managed to choke out, black seeping into his vision. "Get away, before it notices you."

Heronbeak nodded, overwhelming grief in his expression, then Screepaw's head flopped back, unable to support it any longer. The badger tore at him again, but thankfully it was below the break in his back- for he knew that was why he couldn't feel. The darkness began covering his vision at a faster rate, and the last thing he saw was the trees overhead, timeless and indifferent to the world. Certainly indifferent to his death. A sigh left his body and he saw no more.

Screepaw blinked open his eyes and stirred his limbs. He suddenly flinched and looked around for the badger, but it wasn't there. In fact, he had no idea where he was. This certainly wasn't any part of his territory, that's for sure. He got slowly to his paws, then realized his hind legs worked again. He frowned in confusion and looked around again.

"Lynxpaw? Heronbeak?" he called.

"No, young one. They are not here."

Screepaw jumped and whipped around, claws out and ready to attack, but it wasn't necessary. Before him stood a familiar figure, that of his mother, who had died in the bitter cold of winter. Now she looked healthy and well fed, a far cry from the sack of bones Screepaw had come to know.

"D-Darkheart?" he stammered. "But... But you're dead!"

Darkheart gazed at him with a deep sadness in her eyes.

"Yes, sweet son, and I didn't think you would be joining me quite so soon."

Screepaw's mouth dropped open in horror. So he had died...

"Lynxpaw... and Heronbeak?" he choked out. "Are they dead too?"

Darkheart shook her head and Screepaw sagged with relief.

"Come, you can see them if you like," Darkheart said, beckoning with her tail.

Screepaw hesitated for a heartbeat, then followed. Darkheart led him through the strange forest which had to be StarClan, until the territory began to look familiar. Soon they were standing at the sight of his death, where he could see Lynxpaw and Heronbeak standing amongst a patrol of warriors, their heads bowed with grief. The patrol suddenly lifted something onto their shoulders and Screepaw was horrified to see that it was his own mangled body. Darkheart gently touched her tail to his shoulder for comfort.

"Your brother ran to get help, but they didn't come in time," she said gently, while Screepaw gazed at his clanmates. "But you saved their lives..." Darkheart added, and Screepaw managed to muster a grim smile.

They stood watching the patrol until they vanished back into the undergrowth, probably to bury his body. Darkheart turned and beckoned for him to follow, but Screepaw wasn't ready to leave his brother just yet.

"Wait, can it talk to him," he asked, his throat working with sadness.

Darkheart hesitated, then nodded, and that was all he needed. Running far faster than he ever could in life, Screepaw raced after the patrol.

"Lynxpaw!" he called, and his brother whipped around, a desperate hope on his face.

The others paused in confusion but they obviously couldn't see him. Lynxpaw stared as he approached, the hope crashing to the ground when he realized his brother was a spirit. Screepaw skidded to a stop in front of him, not even breathing hard.

"Lynxpaw," he mewed softly.

"I'm so sorry," his brother choked out, eyes brimming with guilt and sadness. Screepaw shook his head and touched his nose to Lynxpaw's shoulder.

"It's not your fault, brother," he said gently. "It's no ones. You couldn't have done anything, and if you'd tried you would have died as well."

Lynxpaw let out a low wail, but Screepaw imagined he saw a little less pain in his eyes.

"When did you get so wise," Lynxpaw said finally, the words obviously hurting. Screepaw smiled.

"Since I now get to tell you what to do," he joked. "I dole out the prophecies now."

Lynxpaw mustered a smile and pressed his body against Screepaw's. A rustle behind them made Screepaw turn his head, and he spotted Darkheart standing, looking expectant. Turning back to Lynxpaw, he stepped back sadly.

"I've got to go now," he said. "But you'll see me in your dreams. Go be the best medicine cat this forest has ever seen. Or I'll send you a really mousebrained prophecy."

Lynxpaw smiled again, and this time it was less forced.

"Well I can't argue with that."

"Goodbye, brother," Screepaw mewed, backing away towards Darkheart.

"Goodbye," Lynxpaw responded, his eyes welling up with grief. He couldn't bear to see his brother in pain any longer, so Screepaw whipped around and raced off into the forest, Darkheart at his side.

"I'm sorry you had to die so young," she murmured. Screepaw flicked one ear.

"It's alright, I guess," he said. "As long as you cats don't make it too boring up in StarClan. Maybe you've got some spirit badgers for me to take on?"


	2. Alderpaw, Chapter 1

**Alderpaw:**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a clan meeting!"

The voice of Lotusstar rang in the night air, carrying all the way to the medicine cat's den where Alderpaw sat. His ears pricked to catch the words and he itched to leap up and dart out of the den, eager to hear what his leader had to say, but under Lynxtail's steady gaze he didn't dare. Instead he sat somewhat quietly while Heronbeak poked and prodded at his shoulder with one paw, checking for any signs of his previous sprain. The old medicine cat seemed to be working as slow as he possibly could, taking ages just to scrutinize one hair, but finally he gave a snort and backed away.

"You're good to go. Can't see much more with you wriggling about like a worm in a bird's beak," he said gruffly, flicking one ear. "Now go on, see what Lotusstar wants, and try not to go falling out of any more trees, you hear?"

That was all Alderpaw needed; he sprang to his paws and raced for the entrance, calling out a hurried 'thank you' before he left. He quickly bounded down the tunnel, which was just beginning to show hints of leaves, and emerged into the clearing just in time to catch the end of Lotusstar's sentence.

"… can't let them waltz across our border and take our prey whenever they please!"

Alderpaw quickly found Roanpaw amidst the crowd and went to sit beside her, casting a questioning glance at the dusty brown she-cat.

"What's going on?" he whispered under his breath, eyes still fixed on the white figure upon Highrock.

"RiverClan," she responded quietly, lashing her tail once.

Alderpaw shivered and felt his fur bunch up, but not from anger or hostility. The image of blazing amber eyes framed by long fur black as jet and softer than a bird's down rose up in his mind's eye, but he shoved it down and tried to focus on Lotusstar, which he was finding increasingly difficult to do.

"We have looked the other way for far too long," she continued, pacing on top of Highrock in her agitation. "We need to show that we are still strong. We must strike, now, while they are unsuspecting and weak!"

A few cats let out yowls of agreement, which gradually grew louder as more joined in. Alderpaw was surprised RiverClan couldn't hear them from their camp with the noise they were making. He cast a worried glance at Roanpaw and was shocked to find the light of battle blazing in his friend's eyes.

"How great is this? We finally get to show those fish-faces they're not so great," she shouted above the noise.

Alderpaw stared and shook his head furiously.

"Wh- no!" he spluttered. "We can't just… but they… and we-"

"Why are you defending them?" Roanpaw interrupted and Alderpaw flinched at her harsh tone. Her eyes burned into him, alight with a challenge, but she never got the chance to speak.

"The time is now!" Lotusstar yowled above the noise. "Sungold!"

The clan quieted as ThunderClan's deputy rose to her paws and stepped forward, eyes raised to her leader.

"Yes, Lotusstar?" she mewed, surprisingly calm amidst all the chaos.

"Gather a patrol and prepare to attack immediately. Spireclaw, do the same."

Both warriors dipped their heads.

"RiverClan will learn better than to mess with us," Spireclaw snarled, drawing raucous cheers from the mob of cats. Lotusstar nodded and lifted her head to gaze out over her clanmates.

"We attack at dawn!"

The furious racket reached its peak, and Alderpaw was truly concerned he might go deaf from one too many screech in his ear. Then Sungold was signaling for quiet and gradually the noise fell to a feverish murmur while the golden she-cat scanned the crowd.

"Crowhop, Leafdown, Beetlenose, Dreamtail, and Alderpaw, you're with me."

Alderpaw felt his heart sink down to his paws, but he got up anyway and began making his way towards her. Spireclaw eyed the remaining cats and listed off those he wanted for his patrol.

"Burnstripe, Owlclaw, Heartpool, Snaketongue, and Roanpaw."

Alderpaw reached Sungold and sat down beside her, staring at his forepaws while the cats Spireclaw had named went to join him. Once the cats had separated, Lotusstar surveyed them with a sort of fierce pride that made Alderpaw's fur crawl, as if some cat had shoved him into an ant nest and the tiny creatures were scrambling through his pelt.

"You can do this," she hissed, an eerie fervor in her eyes. "Go, make ThunderClan proud."

With that she dismissed them and at once the two patrol leaders bounded towards the entrance. Alderpaw scrambled to his paws and dashed after them, not wanting to get left behind. There was a moment of chaos as both patrols converged on the entrance, and more than once Alderpaw felt a hindpaw strike his face. He broke out into the open forest and gasped in a deep breath, but there was no time to pause. Immediately he was swept along by the others in the attack patrols. He couldn't have stopped if he'd tried. His paws dragged in the leaves left over from winter, as if they could stop this madness on their own. He briefly contemplated sneaking away to warn Floodpaw, but he doubted he could get away from the patrol without being spotted. And then came the challenge of actually making it to her camp in time. He would have to sprint to reach the stepping stones before his clanmates did, and he doubted he could match their stamina. His mind raced faster than his paws, trying to figure out a solution, when Sungold suddenly called a halt. There was a brief moment of confusion as some cats skidded to a stop and others crashed into them.

"What's going on?" Spireclaw called as he approached from behind where he'd been running. "We have to hurry if we're going to make RiverClan's camp before dawn."

Sungold silenced him with a stare, then turned to face the patrol.

"We're not attacking RiverClan," she said, and with those four words she sent Alderpaw's heart soaring. The others were a different matter. Sungold waved her tail for silence and once it fell she continued. "RiverClan is too weak to sustain a hit like that right now. You all saw them at the last Gathering; they're practically skin and bones. The frozen river has cut off their main food supply and the rest of their prey is still dug down in their burrows."

Alderpaw thought back to the Gathering Sungold spoke of, and he remembered Floodpaw _had_ seemed extremely thin, even for leafbare. And the last time they'd met she'd looked worse. He shivered and immediately felt horrible for not noticing that she had been starving. What kind of friend was he? Just then, Spireclaw took an aggressive step forward.

"So we should just let them steal out prey, then?"

"No, of course not," Sungold responded, still calm and infinitely patient in the face of the gray tabby's anger. "But we won't strike when they can't defend themselves. Where's the honor in that?"

Alderpaw found himself nodding, and a quick glance around at his companions told him that others agreed as well. But not all.

"This is mousebrained!" Yewbeam snarled, and no one was really that surprised by her tone. The day Yewbeam was sweet and patient was the day hedgehogs would fly.

"Lotusstar told us to attack RiverClan, so we attack RiverClan," Crowhop added, lashing his tail uncertainly.

Alderpaw knew he agreed with Sungold, but his commitment to the warrior code- which said that your leader's word was law- overruled his feelings.

"No one died and made you leader," Spireclaw finished in a low growl. "We obey Lotusstar."

"Lotusstar's actions are driven by grief and vengeance," Sungold countered calmly, and she was beginning to make Spireclaw look like a temper-tantrum throwing kit.

There was a brief moment of silence as each cat remembered the battle with RiverClan that had killed Lotusstar's son, Loamstep, back before leafbare had frozen the river. Alderpaw hadn't been in the battle himself, but he'd seen the aftermath.

"Well I, for one, am not going to let RiverClan get away with this," Spireclaw announced, breaking the heavy silence.

"Me neither," Yewbeam growled, stepping up beside her clanmate.

"RiverClan has to learn their lesson," Crowhop said, although he didn't sound so sure.

Burnstripe said nothing and just nodded in agreement, his long claws digging into the ground. Spireclaw smirked and turned his fiery gaze on Dreamtail, who usually stood by her brother's decisions. But the petite she-cat shook her head and went to stand beside Sungold. Surprise and hurt filled Spireclaw's eyes, but he blinked it away and turned to Beetlenose. The black tom glanced over at Dreamtail and an adoring look crossed his face, nearly drawing a purr out of Alderpaw. He was clearly infatuated with her, and no cat was surprised when he padded over to join her. All at once, Leafdown and Owlclaw went to stand by Sungold, leaving Heartpool, Roanpaw, and Alderpaw standing in the middle. Then Heartpool joined her deputy and Roanpaw bounded across to Spireclaw, tail lifted high.

"Come on, Alderpaw," she called, beckoning to him while watching expectantly.

Alderpaw could feel his clanmates eyes on him and felt horror growing within. _We shouldn't be splitting up! We're from the same clan, for StarClan's sake! _But he also knew Spireclaw wouldn't back down, not now that he had cats standing behind him. Flashing his friend an apologetic glance, Alderpaw turned and padded over to join Sungold. He heard an outraged his behind him, but he kept going. When he turned back to face Spireclaw's group, his face was blank. Roanpaw glared at him with surprising vehemence that dragged at his heart, but he stayed where he was.

"Well, at least we know who the traitors are now," Spireclaw spat, tail lashing. "Have fun telling Lotusstar about how you were too scared to fight for your own clan."

_Have fun telling Lotusstar about how you were ready to attack a bunch of half-starved cats too weak to fight back_, Alderpaw shot back in his mind. He kept the words inside, though, and with a finally snarl Spireclaw whirled around. He dashed off into the undergrowth in the direction of the stepping stones, and his patrol followed close on his heels. The forest seemed too quiet after they had gone, the silence smothering Alderpaw like the sun on a cloudless day. After a long moment, Dreamtail opened her mouth to speak.

"We have to warn RiverClan," she stated emotionlessly, staring after her brother with a blank look on her face.

She looked how Alderpaw felt: like they didn't even know their own clanmates anymore. Sungold nodded and an exhausted sigh seemed to creep from her body without her knowledge. For a moment the great warrior seemed vulnerable and lost. Leafdown gently touched her nose to Sungold's cheek in comfort and with obvious effort Sungold managed to drop her calm mask back into place. She straightened and looked around at all of them, the fire in her eyes growing as she looked from cat to cat.

"We'll never make it in time," she said, but it wasn't a statement of hopelessness. She was inviting one of them to step forward with an idea. Alderpaw frowned as he thought, trying to dredge up the makings of a plan. Unbidden, the memory of playing by the river with Floodpaw popped up. It was the time when the fiery RiverClan cat had taught him to swim.

"It's easy," she said, demonstrating in the shallows while Alderpaw stood on the bank. "Part of it is instinct. Come on in, it's easier to learn by doing it. Unless you're scared."

Alderpaw hadn't been able to resist the playful challenge and he'd eventually edged in up to his shoulders.

"Now, watch me," Floodpaw said, striking out into deeper water with long, powerful strokes.

Alderpaw studied the way she'd seemed to arch through the water like a fish, and the way her long limbs churned the water before her.

"Your turn," she called as she began making her way back to him.

Alderpaw had gone home wet but satisfied that night; he'd managed to swim twenty taillengths without touching down or needing help. Suddenly Alderpaw blinked and he was back in the present, and a mischievous smile was creeping onto his face. Sure, they couldn't catch up with Spireclaw's patrol… if they went by the stepping stones.

"You have an idea?" Heartpool prompted, her sharp eyes noticing his grin. Alderpaw nodded and the rest of the patrol looked at him.

"How do you feel about swimming?" he asked, eyes sparking with an impish glint.


	3. Alderpaw, Chapter 2

**Alderpaw:**

Alderpaw stood silently on the ThunderClan side of the river, his thin ginger pelt not giving him much protection from the cold breeze rolling off the water. He watched from a slight distance as Sungold gave some last advice to her patrol and, with a nod in his direction, took off upriver. Their reactions to his plan had been as expected: skeptical, confused, reluctant. And none of them actually knew how to swim, which they had been quick to point out. No matter. Only one of them needed to make it to the RiverClan camp in time. So now Alderpaw was crossing the river alone while his clanmates attempted to catch Spireclaw. Sungold's instructions to him rang in his mind: Warn Eaglestar and then wait with them. When Spireclaw attacks, stay out of it. We'll be right behind them. Alderpaw figured Spireclaw's patrol was at the stepping stones by now, so he had to hurry. He waited until Sungold's patrol was out of sight, then quickly, as light and soft-footed as a shadow, he bounded down the pebbly bank with only a faint crunching sound. He didn't hesitate at the water's edge and plunged into the icy river. It was bitterly cold and the moment it enveloped him, his muscles froze from the shock of the water. He felt the cold all the way down to his bones, so deep and penetrating was the icy bite of the river. Gritting his teeth, Alderpaw forced his legs to move and he set out across the river with short, choppy strokes. The current tugged at him as he swam, threatening to sweep him away to the falls waiting just downstream, but he managed to angle himself like Floodpaw had taught him so that he cut through the flow of the water. Gradually the activity warmed his muscles to the point where they began loosening, but by now the freezing water had soaked all the way into his pelt, which didn't shed water like a RiverClan cat's. It dragged him down and only made him more tired. A wave slapped against his muzzle, dousing his head and getting in his mouth. He gave a spluttering cough and the water closed over his head for a brief moment, but he managed to work his way back to the surface. He was now completely soaked and frozen through, and he could feel his strength waning, the cold leaching it out of his body. Alderpaw continued to force his legs to move, but his breath was coming in ragged pants and his limbs burned with exhaustion and cold. Suddenly the swimming got easier and he realized he'd made it through the strongest part of the current. He was now closer to RiverClan than ThunderClan. There was no going back now; he didn't have the strength to make the crossing again. Instead of discouraging him, the thought invigorated him and gave him energy to carry on. He somehow churned his paws faster and the cold didn't ache quite so badly. He was doing something important here, something that would save lives if he succeeded. Within moments he was standing at the edge of the river, shivering violently and dripping freezing water, but there was a triumphant light in his eyes. He felt completely drained and more than anything he wanted to curl up then and there and go to sleep, but there was no time to lose. Alderpaw shook his fur out the best he could and bounded out of the water, his movements stiff from his muscles freezing up. He paused to check the direction he needed to go and turned to run upriver towards the island camp of RiverClan. As he ran he recognized some spots where he and Floodpaw had met, like the patch of reeds where she'd taught him to fish and the grove of willows where they'd talked about their futures. Where Alderpaw had realized he'd wanted her in his. They'd joked that when they were warriors, which 'should be any day now', they'd run away and start their own clan. What Floodpaw hadn't known was that Alderpaw had been serious, or at least partially. The terrain suddenly changed from firm dirt to softer sand riddled with rocks ranging from pebbles to boulder the size of badgers. Alderpaw nearly stumbled over one and sent himself back into the river, but he managed to catch himself and shook his head to clear it. This was no time for wishing and wanting. This was life or death and he had to pay attention. He glanced up from the uncertain ground for a heartbeat and caught a glimpse of the island sliding around a bend in the river, a silent mass of shadow against the moonlit-blue sky. He breathed a quick sigh of relief; Spireclaw hadn't reached it yet. Alderpaw ran faster, warmer after running for a little while. Out of nowhere something crashing into him from the side, bowling him over and pinning him before he could even let out a yowl of surprise. Caught off guard, there was nothing Alderpaw could do.

"ThunderClan," a mysterious cat snarled, leaning down to take a deep whiff. Alderpaw realized that swimming through the river must have washed away most of his ThunderClan scent.

"I knew I smelled intruders." Alderpaw flinched as the warrior's claws pricked at his skin, but he didn't struggle.

"Please, I need to speak to Eaglestar," he panted, winded from running. "It's important."

A contemptuous snort sounded behind the warrior who held him down.

"Yeah, right. ThunderClan wouldn't trust an apprentice with anything 'important.' Admit it, you were trespassing."

Alderpaw wanted to scream at them for being so stupid, that with every passing heartbeat Spireclaw was drawing nearer and nearer to their camp, but Sungold had stressed that he could only reveal that information to Eaglestar.

"Do you smell any prey scent on me?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I don't smell anything because you've been in the river. Probably chasing a fish."

"Tallreed," came a third voice, this one steady and calm. "Why _don't_ we take him to Eaglestar?"

"What?!"

"He can deliver his 'important' message and if he's lying, we could always keep him prisoner."

Alderpaw shivered; he didn't like the idea of staying in a camp full of hostile enemy warriors, but he kept quiet. At long last, Tallreed grudgingly agreed and stepped back, releasing Alderpaw. He quickly scrambled to his paws and was instantly surrounded by the three RiverClan cats.

"Let's go," the third cat ordered, and they set off towards the camp. It took all of Alderpaw's restraint not to break away and sprint.

When they reached the island the RiverClan cats bounded into the water without pausing. He caught a smirk on Tallreed's face and realized they were waiting for him to flounder around in the slow-moving river. _Ha, I'll show them. _Alderpaw padded calmly down to the river's edge and slid into the water, striking out across the narrow channel in between the mainland and the camp. He wasn't nearly as graceful or efficient as the others were, but he swam unassisted to the island on the other side. Tallreed didn't look quite so smug. Alderpaw shook himself briefly and strode into the camp, surrounded by the three cats. The clearing was mostly vacant, so Alderpaw had a clear view of the entire camp. It was stunning. It was as if all of RiverClan's beauty and grace had been funneled into this one place and embodied. Sparkling stones and shells lined the edges of the clearing and long, beautiful feathers were woven into the dens and reeds. The river lapped soothingly on the banks of the island, nearly lulling Alderpaw to sleep where he stood. He could only imagine what this place must look like in daylight. Tallreed gave him a rough shove from behind to keep him moving and led the way across the clearing, halting outside a den of reeds woven into the roots of a great willow tree, almost completely hidden by the long tendrils brushing the ground. It was still mostly bare, but when he looked closely Alderpaw could see tiny buds beginning to form on its trailing branches. Tallreed slipped through the branches and into the den, leaving Alderpaw standing outside with the other two cats. He could hear lowered voices inside, but he couldn't make out the words so he quit trying. Instead he contented himself with gazing around the camp, admiring the clever way they had built their dens out of the reeds. He shuffled his paws impatiently, half-expecting Spireclaw to attack at any second. One of the cats guarding him gave him a strange look, recognition mixed with anger. Alderpaw frowned in confusion and the cat blinked quickly, wiping her face clean of emotion. Alderpaw opened his mouth to ask her how she knew him, but he was interrupted when Tallreed emerged from Eaglestar's den.

"Go in," he ordered, flicking his tail at the moss curtain.

Alderpaw nodded and hurried inside, pausing only to let his eyes adjust to the abrupt darkness. Once he could see, he spotted a mottled brown tom, lithe and lean despite the fish RiverClan fed on, curled up in a nest of moss and feathers. Eaglestar sat up and nodded for him to speak. Unable to find a gentle way to put it, Alderpaw plowed right in.

"ThunderClan is coming to attack you," he blurted out, his words running together in his haste to spit them out. He saw a flash of alarm and anger in the tom's eyes and kept going. "Lotusstar told us to attack you, but Sungold said not to because you weren' strong enough since the river's been frozen."

Alderpaw realized his blunder too late and flinched, but he forged ahead. _Note to self: don't call enemy clan weak to their face. _

"Some cats from our patrol decided to attack anyway so I came to warn you because no one else knew how to swim. Sungold went to follow Sp- the others."

Sungold has specifically told Alderpaw not to mention any name besides hers and Lotusstar's, so RiverClan wouldn't seek revenge. Alderpaw took a gulping breath and watched the older tom nervously, hoping Eaglestar wouldn't think he was in on Spireclaw's plan too.

"You would betray you leader for an enemy clan?" Eaglestar said, eyeing him curiously.

"It's not right to attack someone when they're not strong enough to fight back- um, not that you're, you know, um, weak."

Eaglestar snorted and waved away his apology, rising to his paws.

"No, you're right. With no warning we wouldn't be able to survive an attack from ThunderClan right now."

Alderpaw caught the emphasis on those last two words: right now they were vulnerable. But that wouldn't last long now that the river had unfrozen.

"But with a warning," Eaglestar continued, "we could easily manage it."

"Of course," Alderpaw agreed readily, not wanting to offend the tom in his own camp. Eaglestar gave him another curious look.

"You're awfully friendly, considering you're speaking to your enemy," he pointed out dryly. Alderpaw felt his fur growing hot despite his recent dip in the river.

"Oh, um, just… who I am," he said lamely, earning a sarcastic snort from Eaglestar.

"Of course. Now, there's no time to lose. I must alert my clan." Eaglestar slipped past him and headed for the entrance. "Oh, and Alderpaw?"

"Yeah?"

"Stay away from my daughter." With that, the RiverClan leader slipped through the gap in the moss, leaving Alderpaw feeling like a gutted fish. How did he know?! He didn't have a lot of time to wonder.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a clan meeting."

Alderpaw shook himself and darted out of the den, not wanting to miss a thing.


	4. Alderpaw, Chapter 3

**Alderpaw:**

"I have just received word that tonight Lotusstar sent a group of warriors to attack our camp."

Eaglestar's announcement was met with furious snarls and plenty of murderous looks in Alderpaw's direction. He shuffled his paws nervously and tried to ignore the danger staring him straight in the face. _Hurry up, Eaglestar, get to the part where I came to warn you. I don't fancy dying tonight. _

"However, a few warriors remembered our rough leafbare and lack of food, so they decided to call off the attack. Their clanmates didn't share their opinion and are on their way, so an apprentice from ThunderClan came to warn us."

Eaglestar gestured to where Alderpaw sat beneath Highrock, and all heads turned in his direction. He licked self-consciously at his chest fur, hoping Eaglestar would continue and draw the attention away from him.

"Now, I want all queens, kits, and elders in the nursery, as well as the younger apprentices," Eaglestar ordered from atop Highrock, and there was a rustle of movement as the cats named began making their way to the nursery. "Older apprentices and warriors, stay in the clearing. Tallreed, Bushtail, go stand guard outside the nursery. Hollytail, Wavefur, go keep watch for ThunderClan. Let us know immediately if you see them."

The four cats nodded and split, two heading after the queens and elders, two slipping out through the entrance. Alderpaw looked up from his paws and his gaze was instantly drawn, as if by fate, to those of a jet black she-cat with burning-ember eyes. Floodpaw…

"Mistcloud, Watergaze, and Ridgestep, take two warriors each and prepare for battle. Swiftriver, go and find out how far off the ThunderClan patrol is."

Alderpaw had to admire how quickly and efficiently Eaglestar split up his cats, and he was just about to ask where he was to stay during the battle when Eaglestar glanced down at him.

"I don't suppose you could help us?" he mewed gruffly, causing Alderpaw to stiffen with surprise. Eaglestar sighed and jumped down beside him.

"We may need every claw we can get," the leader murmured, clearly not wanting his clan to hear him admit their weakness. "It's perfectly fine if you wish to leave. We'd be dead without your warning."

"No, no, I want to fight," Alderpaw said, then got to his paws. "I've already betrayed my clan, so I've got nothing to lose."

Eaglestar gazed at him wryly, then nodded.

"Go see Ridgestep," he instructed, pointing out the dusty brown tom who was organizing a patrol. Alderpaw steeled himself and bounded across the clearing, weaving in between the RiverClan cats until he reached the tom Eaglestar had pointed out to him.

"Hi, um, Eaglestar sent me to help out," he mewed, half-expecting Ridgestep to turn him away, but the tom simply nodded and turned to gather a few more cats, leaving Alderpaw standing awkwardly amongst his sworn enemy. That is, until a familiar sharp meow sounded in his ear.

"Hey, stranger."

Alderpaw turned his head to see Floodpaw standing mouselengths away, eyes alight with their usual spitfire. Alderpaw gave a tiny smile.

"Careful, we are around your clanmates," he whispered. "I don't think they'd be thrilled to find out you've been breaking the warrior code for moons."

Floodpaw rolled her eyes and flicked his side with her tail.

"And what are they going to do?"

Alderpaw couldn't help but smile at that. Same old Floodpaw.

"Are you in Ridgestep's patrol?" she asked, smiling hopefully.

Alderpaw nodded. "Yup, you?"

Floodpaw gave a happy smile and nodded back at him.

"I always hoped we'd get to fight together, but I didn't actually think it would happen," she admitted, lashing her tail in excitement. Alderpaw opened his mouth to reply, but just then Ridgestep gathered the cats in his patrol together and led the way towards the entrance. The two apprentice fell in behind him, along with the rest of the warriors. They swam quickly across the channel and once they were standing on dry land, Ridgestep led the way up a steep bank. At the top grew a grove of low-lying bushes, buds just beginning to peek out. The patrol wriggled their way in between the thick branches and slowly stilled, eyes fixed on the direction Spireclaw would approach from. Floodpaw crouched beside him, quivering with anticipation. And so they waited.

And waited. Alderpaw began to worry, that maybe Spireclaw had changed his mind and he had stirred RiverClan up for nothing. It shouldn't take this long to get here from the stepping stones, so where were they? Just when the cats around him began to stir with impatience, a dark figure shot out of the darkness alone, and Alderpaw recognized the cat Eaglestar had sent to find Spireclaw's patrol. Just then, Ridgestep poked his head out of the bushes and let out a low hiss. The figure skidded to a stop and turned, bounding up the slope quickly.

"They're coming," the tom panted. "Not far."

With that he turned and sprinted back down the slope to warn the cats inside the camp. A tense silence settled over the grove as they watched and waited. The excitement in Floodpaw's eyes had been replaced with cold determination to protect her clan. That impressed Alderpaw more than anything else, how loyal and fierce she was. He sighed softly, and then something moved in the distance. He froze, muscles tensing, as a group of shadows took the forms of cats. Peering at them, he recognized Spireclaw's heavy frame, and all hope crashed to the ground. Tonight he would fight his own clanmates. He ripped his eyes away from the patrol and watched Ridgestep for the signal to attack, almost hoping the RiverClan tom would tell him to stay put. How could he fight the cats he'd grown up with? What was he thinking, volunteering for this? Alderpaw trembled softly, feeling like he was being ripped apart for the second time that night. A soft touch nearly caused him to screech out loud, and he whipped around as quietly as he could, claws instinctively coming out. Floodpaw's amber eyes gazed at him with sympathy and something else, and Alderpaw gradually relaxed. A grateful smile that was more like a grimace was all he could fit in before Ridgestep gave the signal to attack. _No turning back now. _Alderpaw burst out of the bushes before he could convince himself to stay, paws skidding in the half-frozen dirt, and the RiverClan battle cry sounded through the air.

The patrol below them skidded to a stop and whirled to face them. When they saw the furious RiverClan cats (plus one uncertain ThunderClan apprentice) bearing down on them, there was a moment of chaos as each cat bolted in a different direction. Then Alderpaw heard Spireclaw growl, "To the camp," and the ThunderClan cats obeyed. But the patrol was already upon them. Alderpaw leapt without looking at who he was attacking and landed squarely on a cat's shoulders. An angry screech told him it was Burnstripe, and Alderpaw faltered despite himself. That moment of hesitation gave his friend the chance to shake him off, and Alderpaw hit the ground hard. Burnstripe turned to attack, but then froze when he recognized him. Alderpaw hesitated again, every molecule screaming at him that this was wrong, and he stared up at his clanmate. He almost expected Burnstripe to leave him, but the uncertainty in the ginger tom's eyes was quickly replaced by anger. He lashed out with unsheathed claws, catching Alderpaw in the jaw, and stars exploded across his vision. He scrambled away, reeling with shock.

That had been a true hit, not a blow between two clanmates. Burnstripe had really attacked him. A heavy weight dropped on his back and Alderpaw reacted instinctively, lashing out at his attacker. Burnstripe gave a grunt as Alderpaw's claws dug into his shoulder, but he knew he hadn't done any real damage. He wriggled madly to try and get free, but Burnstripe's massive bulk kept him pinned while he raked his claws down Alderpaw's back. Alderpaw screeched in pain and attempted to tear free, but he just couldn't fight Burnstripe's weight. Suddenly, the weight vanished and Burnstripe yowled in surprise and pain. Alderpaw jumped to his paws and whirled around to see Floodpaw relentlessly clawing at the tom's ears and face. Burnstripe rolled over with no warning, squashing the black she-cat underneath of him.

Protectiveness jolted him and Alderpaw darted forward while Burnstripe's underbelly was exposed, sinking his claws into the soft flesh. The ginger tom wailed in pain and rolled off of Floodpaw, vanishing into the battle. Floodpaw got to her paws gingerly and gave him a grateful nod, and they surveyed the battle together. Before the battle fury could fade, Alderpaw lashed out at the nearest ThunderClan cat, forcing himself not to recognize him. He couldn't fight with half his heart, or else he would get ripped to shreds, so he ignored the familiar scent of his clanmates and attacked with fervor. The cat screeched in surprise and pain, but Alderpaw shut out the voice and focused on avoiding the cat's claws. With Floodpaw's help they managed to drive the cat away, and only then did Alderpaw allow himself to see who it was.

"Yewbeam," he muttered, then dove back into the battle.

A few cats from RiverClan's camp had come to help, badly outnumbering the ThunderClan cats, but Alderpaw's clanmates fought fiercely and maintained a steady position. RiverClan was obviously still weak after their rough leafbare, not to mention that they hardly had to fight because no cat wanted to cross the river to do it. Alderpaw hissed in pain as a claw dragged across his face, and he whirled to face his attacker, but he couldn't help but freeze at the horrified gasp that came from the small cat.

"Alderpaw?!"

"… Roanpaw?"

Roanpaw stared at him in dismay, her eyes wide and lit with battle fury. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to warn RiverClan," Alderpaw mewed almost timidly.

Roanpaw's dismay grew and she regarded him with a betrayed look. "How could you? Aren't you a ThunderClan cat?"

"A true ThunderClan warrior doesn't attack a clan too weak to defend itself," Alderpaw stated, glad that his voice didn't quaver.

Roanpaw hesitated, and just then Floodpaw appeared at his side.

"Need some help?" she chirped playfully, despite the grim setting.

Alderpaw glanced over to refuse, but a sudden flare of anger in Roanpaw's eyes stopped him. With frightening speed, Roanpaw sprang at Floodpaw, claws extended towards the black she-cat. Alderpaw had no time to react; Roanpaw crashed into Floodpaw and the two apprentices were sent tumbling across the hard terrain, hissing and spitting. Alderpaw made a move to follow and somehow stop his two best friends from fighting each other, but just then a massive shape loomed on his right, reeking of blood and ThunderClan. Alderpaw shied away and caught a glimpse of unnaturally long claws glinting in the faint moonlight, just as he recognized the scent. Spireclaw. Alderpaw quickly whirled to face his clanmate, who for a heartbeat didn't seem to recognize him. The enormous tom raised a paw to swipe at him, and then froze as a flash of recognition blazed through his eyes.

"Traitor," Spireclaw spat, and his paw crashed into Alderpaw's face, sending him flying to the side.

He hit the ground in a tumble of limbs, unable to scramble to his paws in time to fend off the furious warrior bearing down on him. Alderpaw attempted to wriggle away, but Spireclaw hooked his long claws in his fur and flipped Alderpaw over with the ease of catching a mouse. Spireclaw didn't hesitate and dug his claws into Alderpaw's belly, raking them through the soft fur. White hot pain shot up and down Alderpaw's frame, but try as he might his mad thrashing couldn't free him. He screeched in pain and lashed out at Spireclaw, grazing the tom's whiskers but otherwise accomplishing nothing. Spireclaw clawed at his face just as a nearby pair of warriors crashed into his side, knocking him off balance for a split second. It was all Alderpaw needed. He ripped free and fled through the heaving bodies, the sound of Spireclaw's pursuing footsteps spurring on. Breaking free of the melee, Alderpaw ran along the bank of the river, but his wounds were slowing him down and Spireclaw had size to his advantage. Rather than be brought down like a rabbit, Alderpaw whipped around to face his clanmate.

His abrupt halt caught Spireclaw by surprise and during the brief moment where he stood still, Alderpaw darted forward and slipped past the large tom, running his claws down Spireclaw's side. Spireclaw yowled in rage and whirled to chase after him, but Alderpaw had already turned and darted under his belly, giving a fierce nip as he ran clear. Spireclaw lunged after him, almost snaring him with those claws of his. Alderpaw had to leap away to avoid him and in doing so landed on the edge of the bank. It sank beneath his haunches, but didn't give way, until Spireclaw bowled him over. The bank crumbled and they tumbled into the river, immediately drenched in freezing water.

Instinct took over and Alderpaw immediately began swimming for the surface, paws churning madly as his lungs began to hurt. His head broke the surface and he coughed harshly, but he forced himself to shake the water from his eyes and swim. At first he couldn't see the bank, but soon he caught a glimpse of fighting cats above the waves, and he began to swim for that. His paws had just hit the bottom of the river when he heard a cry for help echo across the waves. He whipped his sodden head around and his heart plummeted. Spireclaw was desperately trying to keep afloat, thrashing madly about and coughing.

For a moment Alderpaw was tempted to just leave him, to watch him struggle and sink below the surface, but he couldn't abandon his clanmate, no matter how much of a piece of foxdung he was. Alderpaw shook himself and leaped back into the freezing water. He quickly found a rhythm, and the current was helping to propel him towards Spireclaw, so within seconds Alderpaw was beside the warrior. Alderpaw lunged forward and managed to catch hold of Spireclaw's scruff. There was a moment where he feared they would both go under, Spireclaw's weight hanging limp in his mouth, but with a massive struggle Alderpaw managed to keep both their heads above the water.

It struck him then that he hadn't planned on how he was going to drag a cat more than three times- who couldn't swim- out of a quick-flowing river, but he had to try. Spireclaw wasn't exactly helping matters, thrashing about in a panic and getting in Alderpaw's way. Alderpaw paddled madly for the RiverClan shore, hoping that some cat would see them and swim out to help, but everyone was preoccupied with the rest of the patrol, who were still fighting with the RiverClan warriors outside the camp. He was on his own. Just then, Spireclaw gave a massive spasm, ripping himself out of Alderpaw's mouth.

"Let go of me you filthy traitor," he spat out just before he vanished underwater. He reappeared slightly downstream, limbs going in all directions. Alderpaw hissed out a breath in annoyance and swam back to Spireclaw's side.

"I'm kind of saving your life, so if you could hold still, that's be fantastic."

Spireclaw lashed out with one paw, but his strike was clumsy and missed him by a mile.

"For StarClan's sake, you can kill me on dry ground," Alderpaw hissed in exasperation.

Spireclaw opened his mouth to snap back a retort, but a wave of water washed over him. He coughed violently and spat out a mouthful of river water.

"Fine, but don't forget it," the tom managed, and Alderpaw swam in closer to help his clanmate.

Suddenly, Spireclaw lunged at him and sank his teeth into Alderpaw's throat, and they both sank beneath the waves. Alderpaw struggled madly, the cold and adrenaline numbing his body, but Spireclaw's jaws remained clamped around his neck. His lungs began to ache from lack of air, and apparently Spireclaw's were too, because the tom released him and struggled for the surface. Alderpaw followed, seeing as he had no other choice. His head burst out of the water and he instinctively gulped in air, and for a moment he just focused on breathing and staying afloat.

"Alderpaw!"

Alderpaw craned his head towards the source of the sound and caught a glimpse of a cat moving on the bank before a splash behind him drew his attention away. Spireclaw was floundering clumsily in the water, but he finally seemed to have worked out a system and was slowly swimming towards him, eyes narrowed with concentration. Alderpaw blew out an exhausted breath and turned away, knowing he could swim much faster than his clanmate. He heard his name again and recognized Floodpaw's voice, so he lifted his chin out of the water to call back a quick reassurance.

"I'm fine," he called, and kept swimming, occasionally glancing back at his pursuer, who was falling behind rapidly.

"No, Alderpaw, look!" Floodpaw yelled, and he finally caught the worry in her voice.

He couldn't see where she was anymore, but he looked around anyway. What he saw chilled his blood and bones more than any river ever could.

The swift water was more than just swift now; it was quickly becoming a torrent. A torrent that led downstream to the Gorge, where massive waves could dash cats against rocks with incredible force and not even RiverClan ventured. And the Gorge was fast approaching just downstream, its horrible roar filling Alderpaw's ear and drowning out the other sounds of the river. He could see the fine spray thrown up by the churning water, illuminated by the moonlight filtering down from above. Alderpaw realized he had stopped and threw himself back into the struggle for the shore, but he knew he wasn't going to make it. Maybe if he'd been born a RiverClan cat and swum all his life, but not when he was trained to hunt under the trees. That didn't stop him from trying, but when the bank he was aiming for rose up into a cliff, he knew it was over. He felt the river sweep him along faster, picking up speed just before the drop that was sure to kill him, and out of nowhere he spotted a small boulder jutting up out of the river. He didn't think, he just acted and swam for the boulder with all his might. For a moment he thought the river would whip him past it, surely dooming him to a watery death, but he managed to catch his claws on a crack and halt his progress.

The river tore angrily at his fur and his claws ached after just a few seconds, but Alderpaw didn't let go and painfully drew himself up onto the rock, paw by paw. Even on the very top of the boulder more than half his body was in the river, but he wasn't floating along to his death and that was something. The rock was slick and every surge of water threatened to sweep him away. Alderpaw wasn't sure how long he could hang on, or how he was even going to get off the rock and back to shore. His odds of swimming were limited to none, but just then he heard a faint shout from above, barely audible over the crashing foam. He looked up and spotted a group of cats at the edge of the cliffs high above, shouting words that the water whipped away. Alderpaw strained to make out words, but it was no use. He shook his head and nearly slipped from his perch. When he looked back up the cats had vanished, and Alderpaw was on his own in the midst of a furious river. He shivered from cold and fear, praying to StarClan to somehow help him, but the night remained the same.

Alderpaw lost track of the time as he clung to a tiny island of hope amidst the raging chaos around him, but after a while he was beginning to lose hope. He refused to believe that Floodpaw or Sungold would just leave him in the river to die, but a tiny part of his mind kept bringing it up. The moon, which had hung high when the battle had begun, was hovering above the edges of the trees, preparing to make way for the day. Alderpaw decided that he wanted to see the sun again, because by now he'd embraced the likelihood of his imminent death. So he tightened his grip and steeled his resolve.

More time passed. The sky was beginning to lighten, and Alderpaw was trembling from clinging to a tiny boulder all night. His haunches were completely numb from being submerged underwater for hours, and his claws ached like they'd been ripped out. Alderpaw pulled himself higher on the rock and slumped wearily against it, staring blankly at the dark water sliding past his nose. He didn't notice the warrior until she was a taillength away. Alderpaw lifted his head in shock as the she-cat caught herself against his boulder, the river nearly pushing her flat against it. For a heartbeat all Alderpaw could do was stare.

"Quick, ge' o'er here," the she-cat mumbled, and Alderpaw realized her jaws were clenched shut around a strange looking sort of vine. He obeyed numbly, making his way to the she-cat's side. "Gra' on."

Alderpaw eyed the slender vine with suspicion, but he grabbed hold of the taught vine and locked his jaws shut. The she-cat lifted her tail out of the water and lashed it twice, and then the vine in their jaws began to slowly pull them away from the rock. Alderpaw fought the urge to cling to the it and let himself get pulled along, half-expecting the vine to snap from the force of the current. The she-cat began swimming upstream against the flow of the river and Alderpaw followed her example, figuring out what was going on. There were probably cats upstream pulling them along, and swimming would make it the slightest bit easier on them. His paws churned jerkily in the water, numb and tired, but he forced them to obey him. Gradually they were pulled upstream, inch by painful inch.

Alderpaw didn't notice they were clear of the cliffs until the sun peeped over the top of the trees and struck the river, shattering off the water with a thousand shards. He also realized that they were out of the main current and being slowly dragged over to the shore where a group of cats waited. One of the cats darted away from the group, pursued by a brown tom, but the black she-cat managed to evade him and slide into the river. Alderpaw's exhausted mind told him it was Floodpaw, and he made an effort to swim harder. Floodpaw swam over to his side and grabbed hold of his scruff, helping to tug him along through the water. It made their progress faster and within moments Alderpaw's feet struck the bottom of the river. Dropping the vine, he stumbled up the slope and onto the bank, collapsing onto his side and curling up in a shivering ball. Other cats surrounded him, licking his fur dry and trying to coax him to his feet, but eventually they left him alone. A familiar shape curled up beside him, pressing her wet fur to his in comfort.

"You scared me to death," Floodpaw murmured, voice haggard. "Don't you EVER do that again!"

Alderpaw purred softly and nodded without opening his eyes.

"I don't plan on it."

After a long moment, he lifted his head and looked around at the other cats, who were talking a few taillengths away. One of them noticed he was awake and dashed over, her golden fur sparking in the dawn.

"Are you alright?" Sungold asked, her eyes uncharacteristically worried. Even in the toughest times you could count on Sungold for steady support, but now she seemed almost… unhinged. Alderpaw nodded and mustered a smile.

"Let's not do that again," he rasped. Sungold smiled back and glanced over at the group of cats, ThunderClan and RiverClan. Alderpaw remembered that they were supposed to be fighting and frowned in confusion.

"We subdued the others and had them surrounded, but then Floodpaw ran up and told us you were in the river, holding onto a rock above the falls," Sungold explained, seeing his look. "We decided we'd settle our, ah, disagreement later, once you were safe."

Alderpaw nodded and scanned the cats, noting that Burnstripe was missing and so was Yewbeam. And…

"Where's Spireclaw?" he mumbled, and Sungold stiffened beside him.

"He… he went down the falls," she mewed, and she bowed her head in grief. "We're pretty sure he's… dead. RiverClan agreed to send a patrol downstream to see if he washed up on the shore."

Alderpaw felt a wave of sadness, but he was too exhausted to feel anything more. He closed his eyes and curled up tighter, trying to shut out this wreck of a night. He heard Sungold pad away, but soon after another set of pawsteps approached. Alderpaw blinked his eyes open and recognized Spraystream, the RiverClan medicine cat. Alderpaw blinked in confusion, because he didn't feel hurt, but he remembered Spireclaw had bitten his throat and he probably had scratches from the battle. Spraystream set to work, applying a poultice to his throat, belly, and shoulders. She stuck a mesh of cobwebs to his bite wound and to his belly, then gave him an herb for him to eat. Alderpaw lapped up the leaves and thanked her wearily.

"What are they talking about?" he asked, blinking in the direction of the other cats.

"They're talking about the attack, Spireclaw, and… well, you're too exhausted to make it all the way home, so we offered to let you stay in our camp for the day."

Alderpaw nodded, thinking that the sooner he could curl up somewhere warm the better. Just then, Sungold padded back over, along with Eaglestar.

"Alderpaw, if you don't mind, Eaglestar has offered you shelter in his camp tonight," Sungold mewed, and Alderpaw nodded in acceptance. "I'll stay with you, but the rest of the patrol will return to ThunderClan. We'll return tomorrow, if you're rested enough."

Alderpaw nodded and Sungold returned to her patrol, telling them to return to Lotusstar. Alderpaw stirred his cold limbs and rolled upright, leaning on Floodpaw a little to stand. Eaglestar gave him a warning look and he returned it with a blank stare. His clanmates glanced at him, their gazes ranging from sympathy to anger, then set off upstream, heading for the stepping stones. A patrol of RiverClan warriors followed behind to make sure they actually returned home. Sungold watched them go and sighed, but when she turned to Alderpaw her face was smoothed over.

"Ready?"

Alderpaw nodded and, with help from Floodpaw, set off upstream to the RiverClan camp.


	5. Alderpaw, Chapter 4

**Alderpaw:**

When Alderpaw woke the next morning, he had no clue where he was. Instead of the inside of the apprentices' den above his head, willow vines trailed down from a short tree overhead. The sound of running water was all around him and he sat up, confused. A stab of pain shot through his entire body, part muscle soreness, part wound, and he flopped back down with a muffled groan. Something tickled his nose and he lifted his head to peer at it. A feather. Why on earth did he have feathers in his nest? Only leaders, queens, and elders could get ahold of those. Alderpaw looked around at his surroundings and suddenly, last night's battle came crashing back into his head, vivid scenes shuttering past his eyes: hiding in the grove with Floodpaw, falling into the river, being dragged upstream. The last thing he remembered was wading across the channel to the RiverClan camp, and then his memory was blank. Alderpaw shifted in his nest and winced, the cuts on his belly stinging painfully.

"You're awake!"

Floodpaw came bounding into the den, which Alderpaw assumed was the medicine cat's den, giving a happy twirl before coming to his side. She gave him a nuzzle and laughed, managing to coax a rusty chuckle out of his throat. Alderpaw looked around again and frowned.

"How is it morning? It was past dawn when we got here, wasn't it?"

Floodpaw giggled and flicked his nose with the tip of her tail.

"You slept aaaall day and straight through the night," she explained, settling down beside him. "You didn't move an inch the whole time too. It was kind of creepy."

Alderpaw's eyes widened and only the wounds in his throat kept his jaw from dropping. He'd slept a whole day?! He hadn't even been able to sleep through the night as a kit, and he was always the first one up in the morning.

"Well, clinging to a rock in the middle of a river does that to a cat," he mewed.

"Yes, it certainly does," a voice said from the entrance of the den. Alderpaw looked up to see Sungold padding towards them, a strange look flitting through her eyes for a heartbeat before it disappeared. "You deserved your rest."

"Sungold… what's Lotusstar going to say when we get back?"

The deputy's gaze darkened considerably and she gave a heavy sigh.

"I don't know, Alderpaw," she admitted. "Isn't that sad? I don't know my own leader anymore. She's not the cat she was, not even before Loamstep was killed. She could do anything."

"Will she have us killed?"

Surprise flashed in Sungold's eyes and she shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. She's not a killer, not yet." Those last two words obviously pained her, but they both knew their leader was unstable, so lying would accomplish nothing.

"What kind of leader would kill her own clanmates?" Floodpaw piped up, frowning.

"There have been a few leaders, in all clans, who would do a thing like that," Sungold meowed, sounding weary.

"Not in RiverClan," Floodpaw said with a vehement shake of her head.

"Really?" With no warning Sungold's eyes blazed up and suddenly Alderpaw could see the glorious warrior who fought so well in battle that she could handle a whole patrol of cats with no problem. Floodpaw shrank away, uncertainty in her eyes. "My mother's father was killed by a leader from RiverClan, although he didn't remain leader for long after that. RiverClan has its demons too."

Alderpaw hadn't heard much about Sungold's parents, only that they had left the clan before Alderpaw was even kitted. This must have been the reason why. He shivered. Why were some cats destined to be horrible and not others? Turning to him, Sungold eyed him critically.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked, the anger in her eyes slowly fading.

Alderpaw shrugged, then winced as it sent pain running down his back. Sungold purred.

"I guess that's a no?"

"I feel better than last night," he answered. "Or is it two nights ago?"

Sungold nodded and turned to leave.

"I'll tell Eaglestar that you're not ready to travel yet," she called over her shoulder. "But I'd hurry up. He seems awfully eager to get you out of the clan."

Alderpaw could guess why, but he didn't say it out loud. Instead he nodded and Sungold padded away, leaving him and Floodpaw alone for a second. Pawsteps approached, louder than Sungold's quiet tread, and Spraystream appeared at the entrance, a bundle of leaves clutched in her jaws. Her eyes lit up when she saw Alderpaw awake, but she couldn't speak around the herbs in her mouth. Floodpaw rose to help the medicine cat put the herbs away, leaving the space she'd occupied cold and desolate. Alderpaw shivered as if just realizing the chill of morning hanging in the air. He watched as the two cats quickly sorted the herbs, admiring the glint of sunlight off Floodpaw's ebony fur. She'd told him once that she liked to help out in the medicine cat's den sometimes, since Spraystream didn't have an apprentice. When the two cats finished they padded over and Floodpaw laid down beside him again.

"I didn't think you were ever going to wake up," Spraystream mewed softly, smiling. "Feeling better?"

"A little bit," he answered, remembering not to shrug. "It feels a bit like I've been trampled by a badger."

"If you need something for the pain, I can get you some poppy seeds," Spraystream offered, blinking her delicate blue eyes. Alderpaw nodded gratefully, and the silver she-cat went over to her stores. She seemed so gentle and kind, it almost made Alderpaw afraid she would break. He could see why she'd chosen the medicine cat life; she was cut out perfectly for it.

"Try not to sleep too long," Floodpaw murmured in his ear. "I want to talk to you a little before you have to go."

Alderpaw smiled and promised he'd try, then Spraystream returned with the poppy seeds. He licked them up and leaned back in his nest, already yawning.

"'Nite, 'nite," Floodpaw chirped as his eyes began to droop. "Or morning, morning."

Alderpaw couldn't hold his eyes open long enough to give her a look, and he was swept away into dreams.

_Unfamiliar black trunks loomed around him, their high branches locking together overhead like a cage and their roots jutting up from the ground to trip and snare him. A vile mist wove around the dead underbrush, extending its creeping fingers towards Alderpaw in a deliberate way. Loathing filled him and he suddenly was filled with the overwhelming desire to get away from the strange mist, because he felt that if it touched him he could never feel clean again. He spun around and dashed off through the creaking trees, the mist oozing relentlessly after him. At first he managed to outpace the choking fog, but as he ran the roots of the trees seemed to reach up and grab at his paws, sending him sprawling for a heartbeat or two before he scrambled back to his paws and continued on. Low-hanging branches tore at his fur as if with claws and undergrowth thickened in his path, forcing him to turn. Unidentifiable shapes loomed at his sides, their wails echoing unnaturally through the shrouded forest. A particularly large shape lunged at him as he passed and Alderpaw shied away, sprinting off to the right. He rounded a tree and skidded to a stop, a blank wall of mist confronting him. His heart pounded in terror and he spun to flee, but an equally large wall of mist was closing in from that direction as well. The only clear way was closing rapidly, but Alderpaw ran for it anyway, barely slipping through before the two walls converged and became one. The fog was moving faster now, always at Alderpaw's heels, and its horrible stench was all around him, making it hard to breathe. His front paw caught on a root and he was sent tumbling down a steep slope, skidding to a halt at the bottom. He rolled over to see the wall crest the top of the slope and begin to spill down the incline. Alderpaw attempted to get to his paws and run, but the ferns springing up around him had wrapped around his limbs and held him down. He thrashed desperately, but he could do nothing to break their grip. He was pinned. He watched as the mist bore down on him, sending fingers out to brush lightly against his fur, as if it was getting a taste before it devoured him. Alderpaw cried out for help, but the mist seemed to swallow the sound. The ominous fog was just about to wash over him when he heard a loud, 'No!' from behind him. A small shape leaped over him and a piercing shriek rang in his ears, seeming to emanate from the mass of fog. The cat, an apprentice, it looked like, reared on his hind legs and pawed at the mass, and to Alderpaw's surprise the mist shrank away with another shriek. _

_"You can't have this one," the young cat spat, lashing his tail furiously._

_A low rumble shook the forest, and suddenly the mist surged forward. Alderpaw tried to push the cat away, tell him to run, but the ferns held him down. He watched with dismay as the fog crashed into the tom… and stopped. It boiled upwards as if it had hit a wall, but it could advance no further towards them. It was like the tom was a shield, repelling the sickening mist. A furious snarl echoed through the trees, coming from everywhere at once, and a low voice followed._

_"Stand aside, filth."_

_"Never!"_

_"Stand aside, or I will flay you alive."_

_"You can't touch me here. And neither can your pathetic mist."_

_"But I can touch this delightful young cat here, and I _will_ have him."_

_Alderpaw shivered violently and gave another struggle, but the ferns held fast._

_"He has my protection," the tom fired back. "You will never have him."_

_Whatever the cat had said, it seemed to infuriate the voice, and a violent rumble shook the forest. The mist reared back and crashed down on the cat, but just as before it slammed into a wall and could go no further. A furious howl nearly split Alderpaw's eardrums, but it soon cut off._

_"Fine," the voice spat, hatred and poison seeping from the word. "But you can't protect them all. I can find others who don't have your 'protection'."_

_"We are many, far more than all the cats in all the clans. We can fight you."_

_"Then how do I already have followers?"_

_The tom hesitated, and an evil chuckle leaked from the mist. _

_"That's right. Your clan isn't as pure as you lead the living to believe. There are still traitors, even among the dead. And believe me, I will find _all _of them. I am the king of traitors, and they all hear my call. Til next time, little one."_

_Slowly the mist began to recede up the hill as if a wind was blowing it away, but nothing stirred Alderpaw's fur. The ferns that held him down unfurled and he got slowly to his paws. He finally got a good look at his protector, who was still watching the mist retreat up the slope. He was definitely an apprentice, maybe nine moons, but he had the muscle of a seasoned warrior. The tom turned to face him and Alderpaw was struck with the most vivid blue eyes he'd ever seen. They seemed to blaze out from the grey fur of his face and pour energy out into the air. _

_"What _was _that?" Alderpaw exclaimed, shivering. The apprentice gave him a grim look and turned away without answered._

_"Follow me."_

_Alderpaw had no choice but to follow; he certainly didn't want to stay here and let the mist come back. He knew the only thing keeping the mist away was something the grey cat could do. He bounded after the strange cat, who was running faster than any apprentice could. Gradually the trees changed from black and menacing to vibrant and green, and only then did the apprentice stop. Alderpaw stumbled to a halt beside him, breathing hard. _

_"We're safe here," the cat said, looking around._

_Alderpaw waited until he caught his breath, then took in a deep lungful of air and looked around._

_"Where are we?" he asked in confusion._

_"We're in StarClan," the cat answered simply, and Alderpaw whipped his head around to stare._

_"Does that mean I'm… dead?"_

_"No."_

_Alderpaw sagged with relief, much to the amusement of the younger cat._

_"Although I would consider death a better reason to be here than _that_," the tom continued, flicking his tail in the direction they'd come. Clearly he meant the mist._

_"Yeah, what was that?" Alderpaw asked, hoping he'd get an answer this time._

_"That," the cat said, pausing as if to steel himself, "was evil. Evil in solid form. If it had touched you, you would have been consumed by it and your mind would have been twisted to a new mold."_

_"Would I still be alive?" _

_"Yes. But you wouldn't be yourself anymore. You'd be something different, something… well, evil."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"You know well what I mean. It's happened to cats in your clan."_

_Alderpaw thought for a moment._

_"Spireclaw?"_

_"Yes. He was never a nice cat in the first place, but he never would have fought a clanmate."_

_Alderpaw hesitated, then said, "Lotusstar?"_

_The tom nodded sorrowfully. "I'm afraid so. It's happened in RiverClan too. The leader Sungold spoke of, the one who killed her mother's father? He was warped too."_

_"Has it happened in all the clans?"_

_"Not yet, but it will spread. It is literally like a sickness, spreading from cat to cat through interactions. It began in ThunderClan and was transferred to the leader at a Gathering. The sickness grew in ThunderClan, spreading from its original host to Lotusstar, and then to Spireclaw. It lies dormant in many other cats in your clan. Tallreed of RiverClan is infected with the sickness."_

_That didn't surprise Alderpaw. That cat was aggressive._

_"Can't you do anything to stop it? And who's even causing this? Who was that voice back there, the one who called himself the king of the traitors?"_

_"I can't tell you his name," the tom mewed regretfully. "StarClan cannot speak it aloud, although we all know it. But believe me when I say he is not a cat you want to mess with. He is older than StarClan itself, going back to the beginning of time."_

_"How are we supposed to stop him, then, if we don't know who he is?"_

_"By staying loyal, merciful, and righteous. He cannot touch you now, because you are under my protection, but he is not the only thing that can lead you astray. Don't worry. This has been prophesied by cats much older than me. All will be right in the end. But only if you stay true. Do not doubt StarClan, for we are always with you."_

_The tom turned to leave, and Alderpaw felt his eyes beginning to close._

_"Wait!" _

_The tom paused and glanced back at him, blue eyes blazing._

_"Yes?"_

_"Who are you?"_

_The tom gave him a wry smile before answering: "My name is Screepaw. Tell my brother I said hi." _


	6. Alderpaw, Chapter 5

**Alderpaw:**

Alderpaw gave one last glance back at Floodpaw, who stood on the bank across the stepping stones watching him. He waved his tail in farewell and she waved hers in response. His paws slipped slightly on the bank, still wet from crossing, but he managed to make it to the treeline without falling. His muscles were stiff and still sore after two days of rest, but his wounds had stopped stinging constantly, so that was a plus. Sungold stood waiting for him in the trees, giving him a weary smile. There was bound to be trouble from Lotusstar when they returned, that much was certain. Alderpaw had told Sungold about his dream, and they had both agreed to keep it a secret, even from Eaglestar. And especially from Lotusstar. Alderpaw glanced back at the river, but Floodpaw had disappeared, already on her way back to the RiverClan camp. Alderpaw sighed and turned away from the river, following Sungold through the trees. He felt strangely reluctant to be back under the trees, having grown used to being able to see the sky in his short stay at the RiverClan camp. The towering trunks reminded him all too sharply of the dark forest from his dream, which he certainly didn't want to think about. Well, the part after the mist had receded was okay. He didn't mind that part so much. He was still reeling from the shock of meeting Lynxnose's younger brother, who had been killed by a badger as an apprentice. No one talked about him much, because every time Lynxnose heard his name, the patient medicine cat's eyes darkened with fresh grief.

He heard a crash coming from the undergrowth ahead of them, and two young cats tumbled out of the undergrowth, stepping on each other in their haste. Alderpaw recognized the two cats, the youngest apprentices in the clan. They had only been made apprentices seven days ago, but they were already beginning to show the muscle training brought on.

"You're back, you're back!" the smaller cat, a white she-cat mewed in excitement. She wriggled out from underneath her brother and bounded over, her different colored eyes glowing with happiness.

"What was it like in RiverClan?" the ginger tom added, following on his sister's heels. "Did they make you eat fish? What did it taste like? Were they mean to you? Do they really keep the bones of their ancestors in a big pile in the camp?"

Alderpaw had to laugh at the last question, shaking his head.

"No, they bury their dead, just like us. Where'd you get an idea like that?

"Shiverpaw," the tom mewed, pointing his tail at his sister.

"No you didn't!" Shiverpaw squeaked indignantly. "It was Rustpaw that told me that."

"I did not," Rustpaw defended, then he dropped into a playful crouch. Shiverpaw leaped at her brother and the two apprentice rolled across the leaves, laughing and squealing.

"Quiet down, you'll scare all the prey off, mousebrains."

Both apprentices froze as Yewbeam stalked over, giving Sungold and Alderpaw a fierce glare.

"Sorry, Yewbeam," Shiverpaw apologized, looking horrified that she had offended her mentor.

"Yeah, sorry," Rustpaw echoed, although he didn't look very sorry at all.

"Lotusstar wants to see you two," Yewbeam snapped, jerking her head in the direction of the camp. Sungold nodded and set off through the undergrowth. Alderpaw hurried after her, and when he caught up he realized Yewbeam was following behind them.

"We know where the camp is, Yewbeam," Sungold mewed without looking back.

"I'm keeping an eye on you. Who knows, you could be leading RiverClan straight to our camp. It wouldn't surprise me."

Sungold sighed but said nothing more. Alderpaw glanced over at Shiverpaw and Rustpaw, making a face. The pair giggled softly and looked a little less subdued. They padded on in silence, until Alderpaw began to smell the camp, and then hear it. Sungold led the way down the ravine and in through the entrance, Alderpaw right behind her. The thorns lining the tunnel raked through his fur in a satisfying way, like scratching a bad itch. They emerged into the main clearing and immediately all eyes flew to them. There was a long moment of silence, and then Dreamtail padded over, wearing a smile.

"Good to have you back," she mewed, seemingly oblivious to the glares raining down on her back.

"Now I wouldn't say that," a furious voice hissed, and Lotusstar padded over from where she'd been standing by the warriors' den. "They could be leading a pack of RiverClan warriors straight to us."

Alderpaw bit his tongue to keep from snapping back that Lotusstar was the danger here, because he knew that would get him nothing but a pawful of claws to the face. He waited, expecting Lotusstar to have them picking ticks out of the elders' fur for a moon, but instead the white she-cat whirled away from them and stalked across the clearing. With a massive leap, she sprang on top of Highrock, turning to face the clan. She didn't even bother summoning them all, because they were all here.

"Now that they're all present and accounted for, we have a pack of traitors to deal with," she snarled, waving her tail. Alderpaw was roughly shoved forward into the center of the clearing, along with the others who had sided with Sungold. Sungold avoided a push from Yewbeam and padded into the center of the clearing, emanating calmness and dignity. Lotusstar raked them over with her fierce glare, then continued.

"Is it true that you deliberately disobeyed your leader's orders to attack RiverClan?"

"Yes," Sungold answered calmly, and the others echoed her response.

"Is it true that instead you went to warn RiverClan of the attack?"

"Yes."

Alderpaw started and opened his mouth to say that it was him alone that had warned RiverClan, as long as the others were let off easier, but Sungold subtly slapped her tail over his mouth. She flashed him a look and he reluctantly nodded.

"Is it true that you fought against your own clanmates and defended an enemy clan?"

"Yes."

Murmurs were growing from the surroundings cats, and Alderpaw stared resolutely ahead, unable to bear the hateful stares aimed his way. He wished Lotusstar would hurry up already and banish them, because that was clearly where she was going with this. So he was surprised when Lotusstar looked directly at him and beckoned him forward, away from the small group that had defended RiverClan. He cautiously stepped forward, feeling suddenly all alone under the predatory gazes of his clanmates. Why were they all glaring at him in particular? Lotusstar seemed to believe that they were all in on the plan together, and that they had somehow outrun Spireclaw's patrol to warn RiverClan. He had a awful feeling that he was about to find out why.

"Alderpaw," Lotusstar said, making his name sound like the name of a murderer or a fox that snuck into nurseries and ate kits. He stared straight ahead, wondering what Lotusstar had to say about him.

"Is it true that you've been meeting with a RiverClan she-cat for moons now, and that this is part of the reason you were so ready to defend her?"

Shock ripped through Alderpaw like the teeth of a badger, and for a moment he couldn't even breathe. He felt the eyes of everyone in the clan on him, and he wondered how long Lotusstar had known. He suddenly remembered how to speak and spat out, "No."

Lotusstar's eyes narrowed and the murmurs grew. Alderpaw stared at her, a rigid determination in his eyes. He refused to admit that he so much as knew Floodpaw existed, because he was afraid Lotusstar would seek revenge on her. Suddenly, Lotusstar's gaze jerked away from him and landed on some cat in the throng behind him.

"Roanpaw, would you come forward please?"

Alderpaw felt stunned as his best friend paced forward to stand beside him, and the glare she shot him cut him to the core.

"Tell the clan what you saw."

"About a moon ago, I woke up and realized Alderpaw wasn't in his nest. It was still warm though, so I got up to go see where he was. I couldn't find him in the camp, so I tracked him to the river, where I found him playing with an apprentice from RiverClan. She was teaching him to swim, and I could tell this wasn't the first time they'd met. I watched them for a while, and just as I turned to go they climbed out of the river and started talking quietly on the bank. I couldn't hear what they were saying, so I crept down closer to listen. They were talking about-" Roanpaw paused and eyed him with disgust before continuing. Alderpaw knew what came next. "They were talking about running away together and starting their own clan. I couldn't listen anymore, so I snuck away and ran back to the camp. I told Lotusstar what I'd seen, but she told me I should keep quiet about it and see if Alderpaw remembered his loyalties." She flashed a glance at him. "Apparently not."

"Thank you, Roanpaw," Lotusstar mewed in a sickly sweet voice. Roanpaw turned away from Alderpaw and padded back over to the edge of the circle. Lotusstar turned back to face Alderpaw, who was making an extreme effort to stay calm. _Be like Sungold, be like Sungold. _"Now, is it true that you've been meeting with this RiverClan she-cat for moons?"

Alderpaw swallowed past a lump in his throat and shoot his head. "No."

"I don't believe you."

Alderpaw trembled and fought the urge to curl up into a ball and wail. _Be like Sungold…_

"Alderpaw, it is true…"

_Oh, now what? _Alderpaw thought, dread rooting him to the ground.

"… that in the battle two nights ago, you killed your clanmate, Spireclaw, by pushing him into the river and abandoning him to the rapids?"

Alderpaw hadn't thought he could feel anymore shock or fury, but a bolt of it shot through his veins, bubbling up out of his throat in a cry of outrage. "No! I didn't push him into the river, we fell in, both of us. And I tried to save him, but he wouldn't let me. He nearly tore my throat out! I almost died!"

"Well maybe you should have," Lotusstar said quietly. Alderpaw's jaw dropped open as she continued. "Spireclaw was a noble warrior, loyal to his clan. He didn't deserve to be mercilessly slaughtered by his own clanmate."

"Weren't you listening? _He_ nearly killed _me_!"

"And he had the right to, after you betrayed me and your clan. Well, your former clan."

Alderpaw choked in dismay, feeling his legs trembling underneath him. This could not be happening. He bit his tongue hard and forced himself to stand tall, but all he wanted to do was scream from grief and anger.

"I have half a mind to kill you now, in return for killing Spireclaw, but someone has to stick to the warrior code these days. Therefore, I banish you from ThunderClan. The rest of you, you must leave the camp and survive on your own for one moon. You will not have contact with any warriors of this clan, including each other, and if you are seen having contact with warriors from other clans, you will be killed. Do not come back until the moon is up, and do not expect help, even if you are dying. You have until sunhigh to leave the camp, or in Alderpaw's case, the territory. Alderpaw, if you are seen on this territory after sunhigh, you will be seen as an intruder and killed. Clan dismissed."

With that, Lotusstar jumped down from Highrock and disappeared into her den, leaving Alderpaw's entire life in ruins in her wake. Without a sound, the rest of the clan faded away, disappearing into their dens until the small group stood alone in the clearing. Well, almost alone. Roanpaw padded forward to stand in front of Alderpaw, eying him with contempt. He stared blankly back at her, not bothering to hide the betrayal and hurt he felt.

"You deserve this," she mewed, each word a blow against Alderpaw's ears. "This is what you get for breaking the warrior code."

"Roanpaw, stop it," Sungold snapped from behind Alderpaw, but Roanpaw ignored her.

"Why couldn't you have loved _me_?" Roanpaw yelled, lashing her tail furiously. Alderpaw blinked, but he couldn't feel anything, not even shock anymore. He felt numb, hollow. "Well?" Roanpaw said, softer. "Could it have been that terrible, to love me and not an enemy cat?"

Alderpaw stared, and he nodded. If this was what Roanpaw had the potential to become, he wanted no part in it. The she-cat let out a furious shriek and lunged at him with bared fangs. Alderpaw couldn't bother to move of the way, and instead watched her approach. Something flashed in the corner of his eye and darted in front of him, rearing up and intercepting Roanpaw's attack. The ginger she-cat's fangs tore into the semi-transparent cat, silver blood spattering on the dusty ground, but Screepaw didn't falter and he flung Roanpaw away. She rolled easily to her paws and stalked back over, her mouth stained silver. Alderpaw suddenly noticed a gray mist puffing out of her mouth with each breath, sizzling when it came into contact with Screepaw's blood. His own blood chilled when he realized what had happened. Roanpaw was infected too. He wondered just how many other cats in the clan were secretly carrying this evil within them, breathing it into their clanmates without even knowing it. Screepaw lashed his tail and lowered his head menacingly, looking murderous as he stared Roanpaw down. She made another lunge at Alderpaw, but Screepaw parried her blow easily. Realizing she couldn't fight through the StarClan cat, she stopped and glared at Alderpaw over Screepaw's head.

"I hope you suffer," she snarled. "I hope you die alone, without anyone there to ease you into death. And in that moment, remember that you could have had me. I could have been there on your last breath, either in body or in spirit, but you chose to reject that for the enemy. I _hate_ you!"

Roanpaw looked like she was considering attacking again, but at the last second she whipped around and stalked away. Screepaw gradually relaxed and turned to face him, blood dripping from a long cut in his cheek. Screepaw gave him a nod and vanished.

Alderpaw didn't know how long he stood there. He stood frozen, staring at the place where Screepaw's blood had fallen, and he only moved when a cat approached his side. He half-expected to see Roanpaw, but instead he saw Heartpool's rosey-red fur and felt a soft touch on his back.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, sympathy welling in her eyes.

"What just happened?" Owlclaw meowed from behind them. Alderpaw turned to face the others, who were staring in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Alderpaw said, his voice coming out flat and toneless.

"With Roanpaw. It looked like she was going to attack you, but then something stopped her. Threw her clear across the clearing."

It occurred to Alderpaw that the others hadn't seen Screepaw, but he could think of no way to cover it up, so he told the truth.

"A Starclan warrior."

The others looked skeptical, all except for Sungold, who knew all about Screepaw, but they apparently couldn't find any other explanation so they nodded. Leafdown glanced up at the sun and sighed.

"It's almost sunhigh," she meowed, and they all echoed her sigh. They had to get out of here, especially Alderpaw. Sungold padded towards the entrance and they all followed wordlessly. They trudged wearily up the ravine and paused at the top, looking around at each other.

"I'll see you all around," Heartpool said, forcing a smile. "At the most, I'll see you in a moon."

"I don't regret what we did," Leafdown said.

"Me neither," Dreamtail said, her eyes dark with grief for her brother. "I wish no one had to die, but I don't regret it."

Beetlenose nodded in agreement with Dreamtail.

"Where will you go, Alderpaw?" Owlclaw asked, turning to gaze at him. The others looked over and Alderpaw thought for a second.

He was homeless, rejected by his leader, clanmates, and best friend. He was no longer allowed to even set foot on the land where he'd grown up, or else he would be killed. There was a dark presence spreading an evil sickness throughout the forest, and now he had no place where he felt safe anymore. He knew he didn't want to leave his clan behind, but that wasn't exactly under his control. He would never be able to cope with life as a rogue; he was too accustomed to clan life, with other cats for him to depend on and trust. Perhaps one of the other clans would take him in, but once they learned of his betrayal, would they still accept him. He didn't think he would be able to stay with ShadowClan whether they accepted him or not. He heard they ate frogs and carrion, and their dark pine forest made him feel trapped. WindClan wouldn't be so bad, but he didn't have the build of a runner. He was probably the slowest apprentice in ThunderClan when it came to flat-out running, and rabbits had always been too stringy for him. Plus, WindClan probably wouldn't trust him if they found out he'd betrayed his clan to their sworn enemies. So that left one clan. One group of cats that he was pinning all of his hopes on. One clan that might now turn him away, because he had saved them from a harsh attack after all. One clan that just might learn to accept him and even like him. And it was the clan the cat he loved belonged to. He looked up at his former clanmates and finally felt emotion stirring in his heart.

"Why, I go to RiverClan, of course."


End file.
